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Cherishing the Elements of the Periodic Table through mineral collecting...
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Marshite, Palladium, and Plattneritehttps://elementexpressions.wordpress.com/2013/04/16/marshite-palladium-and-plattnerite/
https://elementexpressions.wordpress.com/2013/04/16/marshite-palladium-and-plattnerite/#respondTue, 16 Apr 2013 15:33:40 +0000http://elementexpressions.wordpress.com/?p=1200Continue reading →]]>My latest order from Dakota Matrix arrived a couple of weeks ago, consisting of three relatively rare species. Marshite is my first representative of an applicable copper halide, it’s an iodide with a simple formula of just CuI. Like many other classic metal halides like Chlorargyrite or Nantokite, this Marshite hails from the Broken Hill Proprietary Mine in New South Wales, Australia. The specimen seems to be a fragment of gossan matrix with patches of colourless to honey coloured octahedrals of Marshite; also present are yellowish crystals of Miersite, a halide species with a formula of (Ag,Cu)I.

Cu3D.01 MarshitePhoto by Dakota Matrix

Cu3D.01 MarshitePhoto by Dakota Matrix

Cu3D.01 MarshitePhoto by Dakota Matrix

Cu3D.01 MarshitePhoto by Dakota Matrix

Finding Palladium for sale was a bit of a surprise, but this specimen seems to have been personally collected and owned by William Hyde Wollaston, 1766-1828, and the discoverer of elements palladium and rhodium. This specimen is attributed as Wollaston’s due to the inclusion his label from 1803. However, the label is a photocopy of the original, it’s unknown why the original label was not included… Before Dakota Matrix acquired this specimen, it had been previously owned by Georg Gebhard, 1945-, German chemist and mineral collector for whom the mineral Gebhardite is named. I inquired of Dakota Matrix why the original Wollaston label is not present, they are attempting to contact Gebhard… In the meantime I hope it’s not some ploy to falsely authenticate specimens with photocopied labels?? Hmmm… At any rate this specimen, from Minas Gerais in Brazil, is a pinch of small silvery grains sealed in a corked vial. I’m also waiting to see if Dakota Matrix can tell me if the vial is Wollaston’s own. Of course, there is never really any pure native Palladium found in the wild, it always contains some Platinum, giving a formula of (Pd,Pt).

PdB3/6.01 PalladiumPhoto by Dakota Matrix

PdB3/6.01 PalladiumPhoto by Dakota Matrix

Photocopy of Wollaston’s original label for PdB3/6.01 PalladiumPhoto by Dakota Matrix

The lead oxide Plattnerite (PbO2) is one of those species that should be more commonly available than it is. One can usually find Plattnerite pictures in somewhat expansive coffee table book about minerals, Pough’s Field Guide to Rocks and Minerals details the species… But I had acquired other examples of other lead oxides, Minium and Scrutinyite, long before I found this specimen. This specimen is from the famous Ojuela mine in Mapimi, Durango, Mexico and exhibits the standard acicular habit Plattnerite is known for.

Pb4.3/10.01 PlattneritePhoto by Dakota Matrix

Pb4.3/10.01 PlattneritePhoto by Dakota Matrix

Pb4.3/10.01 PlattneritePhoto by Dakota Matrix

]]>https://elementexpressions.wordpress.com/2013/04/16/marshite-palladium-and-plattnerite/feed/0The SkinnyCu3D.01 Marshite Photo by Dakota MatrixCu3D.01 Marshite Photo by Dakota MatrixCu3D.01 Marshite Photo by Dakota MatrixCu3D.01 Marshite Photo by Dakota MatrixPdB3/6.01 Palladium Photo by Dakota MatrixPdB3/6.01 Palladium Photo by Dakota MatrixPhotocopy of Wollaston's original label for PdB3/6.01 Palladium Photo by Dakota MatrixPb4.3/10.01 Plattnerite Photo by Dakota MatrixPb4.3/10.01 Plattnerite Photo by Dakota MatrixPb4.3/10.01 Plattnerite Photo by Dakota MatrixEvenkite, Uzonite, Otavite, Clinocervantite, and Phosgenitehttps://elementexpressions.wordpress.com/2013/04/06/evenkite-uzonite-otavite-clinocervantite-and-phosgenite/
https://elementexpressions.wordpress.com/2013/04/06/evenkite-uzonite-otavite-clinocervantite-and-phosgenite/#respondSat, 06 Apr 2013 17:23:01 +0000http://elementexpressions.wordpress.com/?p=1176Continue reading →]]>My first minerals for 2013 are additions to my Carbon, Arsenic, Cadmium, Antimony, and Lead suites. From Dakota Matrix I purchased Evenkite and Uzonite. The Evenkite is an organic hydrocarbon, C21H44, and this example is the type locality hailing from the Evenki District in Siberia, Russia. Appearing as several tiny white waxy flakes it’s rather unremarkable looking, but the chemistry is interesting. The Uzonite is one of eight pure arsenic sulphides applicable for my collection, which of course also includes Realgar, Orpiment, and Pararealgar. This is another type locality specimen being from the Uzon caldera in the Kamchatka peninsula, Russia. This specimen is a small 3mm nugget covered in the yellowish powdery crust of Uzonite, with some organge Alacránite present.

I purchased specimens for the first time from www.yourmineralcollection.com, a website operated by Giuseppe Siccardi. The website has a Systematic Shop section: “rare minerals for demanding systematic collectors”, so naturally I was intrigued… The website style is very basic and the photography is not as polished as I’ve seen on other sites, but I did find a number treasures seldom seen for sale. Giuseppe shipped my order expediently without delay, even over the holiday season, and it was really well packaged for protection during transit. I will definitely continue to look for further purchases from Giuseppe’s site.

I had never seen Clinocervantite for sale before, so I was keen to add another applicable antimony oxide into my collection. With examples of Cervantite and Valentinite I now only need to obtain some Sénarmontite to have the antimony oxides completely represented. The Clinocervantite crystals appear as tiny colourless needles in small vugs throughout an antimony rich matrix. This example is from the Tafone Mine, Grosseto Province in Tuscany, Italy.

Sb4.4/4.01 ClinocervantitePhoto by Giuseppe Siccardi

Sb4.4/4.01 ClinocervantitePhoto by Giuseppe Siccardi

From Giuseppe I also ordered an example of Otavite, a very rare cadmium carbonate that I almost never see for sale. This specimen is also from Italy, uncovered from the Su Elzu Mine in the Sassari Province, Sardinia. The Otavite crystals are miniscule white blocky crystals tucked away in a tiny vug.

Cd5.01 OtavitePhoto by Giuseppe Siccardi

Cd5.01 OtavitePhoto by Giuseppe Siccardi

Cd5.01 OtavitePhoto by Giuseppe Siccardi

The last specimen for this post is Phosgenite from the Terrible Mine in Custer County, Colorado, USA. I’m not sure how the mine got it’s namesake, perhaps because it yields ugly specimens such as this:

Pb5.3/4.01 PhosgenitePhoto by Dakota Matrix

Pb5.3/4.01 PhosgenitePhoto by Dakota Matrix

Pb5.3/4.01 PhosgenitePhoto by Dakota Matrix

Ordered from Dakota Matrix, this example is not quite as aesthetically pleasing as some other (much more expensive) examples of Phosgenite I’ve seen for sale that exhibit beautiful euhedral crystals with a lovely transparency. This heavy specimen consists of a couple of cleavage zones of Phosgenite embedded in a mass of Cerussite. With this rock my collection of lead carbonates is almost complete, with only one more to obtain (Fassinaite.)

The first is a specimen of Baddeleyite, occurring as tiny black lustrous crystals to 2 mm on a chunk of quartzy matrix; it originates from the Jacupiranga Mine in São Paulo, Brazil. In the three years I’ve been systematically collecting minerals, I’ve never before seen this species for sale at any of my on-line haunts, so naturally I snapped it up. This brings my Zirconium suite down to one remaining species left to obtain. The specimen also has many greenish grey crystals of Forsterite.

Zr4.01 BaddeleyitePhoto by Dakota Matrix

Zr4.01 BaddeleyitePhoto by Dakota Matrix

Another addition to my Sodium suite is Villiaumite , which completes the Halide section of the suite. As blocky cherry-red crystals protruding from the matrix, this is a somewhat standard specimen from the mineral rich area of Mont-Saint Hilaire, Québec, Canada.

Na3A.01 VilliaumitePhoto by Dakota Matrix

Na3A.01 VilliaumitePhoto by Dakota Matrix

The next two specimens are members of the copper sulphide family, Rickardite and Koutekite. The Rickardite is one of three applicable copper telluride species and this example hails from the Hilltop Mine in Dona Ana County, New Mexico, USA. This specimen has a really nice metallic blue foil-like quality, very similar in appearance to some examples of Covellite; also present are small gold tinged cubic crystals of Altaite.

Cu2E3/3.01 RickarditePhoto by Dakota Matrix

Cu2E3/3.01 RickarditePhoto by Dakota Matrix

Cu2E3/3.01 RickarditePhoto by Dakota Matrix

The Koutekite comes from the Mohawk Mine in the famous copper mining county of Keeweenaw in Michigan, USA. There are four applicable copper arsenide species for my collection, and it appears they are often found together in various amounts, perhaps unavoidably, as this specimen also contains Paxite. The original advertised description read “silvery grey metallic mineral with Paxite;” I can’t visually distinguish between the Paxite and the Koutekite…

Cu2B4/4.01 KoutekitePhoto by Dakota Matrix

Cu2B4/4.01 KoutekitePhoto by Dakota Matrix

The last specimen is Bismutite, which I purchased (impulsively) as a sort-of inexpensive after thought. Apparently this species is somewhat rare, although this is a rather crude example of the only applicable bismuth carbonate…

Bi5.01 BismutitePhoto by Dakota Matrix

Bi5.01 BismutitePhoto by Dakota Matrix

This chunk of a specimen is from the Outlaw mine in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA. With this addition I now start off the somewhat extensive Bismuth suite…

]]>https://elementexpressions.wordpress.com/2012/12/20/baddeleyite-villiaumite-rickardite-koutekite-and-bismutite/feed/0The SkinnyZr4.01 BaddeleyitePhoto by Dakota MatrixZr4.01 BaddeleyitePhoto by Dakota MatrixNa3A.01 VilliaumitePhoto by Dakota MatrixNa3A.01 VilliaumitePhoto by Dakota MatrixCu2E3/3.01 RickarditePhoto by Dakota MatrixCu2E3/3.01 RickarditePhoto by Dakota MatrixCu2E3/3.01 RickarditePhoto by Dakota MatrixCu2B4/4.01 KoutekitePhoto by Dakota MatrixCu2B4/4.01 KoutekitePhoto by Dakota MatrixBi5.01 BismutitePhoto by Dakota MatrixBi5.01 BismutitePhoto by Dakota MatrixAbelsonite, Scrutinyite, Mikasaite, Wattersite, Mercury, Hawleyite, and Witheritehttps://elementexpressions.wordpress.com/2012/11/12/abelsonite-scrutinyite-mikasaite-wattersite-mercury-hawleyite-and-witherite/
https://elementexpressions.wordpress.com/2012/11/12/abelsonite-scrutinyite-mikasaite-wattersite-mercury-hawleyite-and-witherite/#respondMon, 12 Nov 2012 18:50:54 +0000http://elementexpressions.wordpress.com/?p=1131Continue reading →]]>It has been quite a while since my last posting of newly acquired minerals, but I’m back with seven new additions to my collection. From Dakota Matrix I ordered several specimens, the first being Abelsonite from the Green River Formation in Uintah County, Utah, USA. This specimen appears as brownish micro crystals on a sub-cm piece of rock, rather unremarkable looking. I had never heard of Abelsonite before; it appears I had previously overlooked what appears to be the only applicable organic species for my Nickel Suite. I had to add Abelsonite to my Nickel Suite, bringing the total number of Nickel species to 26. This also led me to re-check the IMA for all newly added species for 2011-2012 that may be applicable to my collecting criteria. Eight more species have been added to my overall list, bringing the total to 591 applicable species.

The Scrutinyite, another welcome lead oxide, is from the Blanchard Mine, Socorro County, New Mexico, USA. It appears as dark needles of micro crystals on several ~5mm shards of Quartz. This rare species is so named as it is apparently very difficult to distinguish it from Plattnerite, requiring much “scrutiny.”

Next from Dakota Matrix is the Mikasaite from Ikushunbetsu, Mikasa City, Hokkaido, Japan. This specimen is the type locality and it appears as dull yellowish pseudo-aggregated flaky material sealed in a gel capsule. Apparently Mikasaite is hygroscopic, so even though I abhor the appearance of gel capsules in my collection I will have to keep this specimen sealed up and not risk humidity damage.

The Wattersite and Mercury both inhabit the same specimen, and as such I have given this specimen two catalogue numbers. I suppose it might be a little unorthodox for a specimen to be numbered twice, but I couldn’t bring myself to favour one applicable species over the other for the sake of cataloguing. The Wattersite appears as a single black prismatic crystal, about 1 mm long or so. The Mercury appear as silvery blebs all along the Quartz(?) matrix, as well as anointing the surface of the Wattersite crystal. The specimen is from the Clear Creek Mine, San Benito County, California, USA.

Hg7B2/3.01 WattersiteHg.01 MercuryPhoto by Dakota Matrix

Hg.01 MercuryPhoto by Dakota Matrix

Hg7B2/3.01 WattersitePhoto by Dakota Matrix

The last two specimens, Witherite and Hawleyite, I purchased from Dale Minerals International. I was glad to find a modest specimen of Witherite, from the famous Cave In Rock District of Hardin County, Illinois, USA. Most examples of these specimens I have seen advertised for sale tend to be on the larger size, as miniatures or cabinet pieces, commanding a price of several hundreds of dollars. This smaller sized example suited not only my budget, but also my preference for thumbnail sized specimens for the ease of protection and label containment. The Hawleyite is from Crestmore Quarries, Riverside County, California, USA, and appears as a greenish yellow crust on a small piece of rock. Not a pretty specimen, but its inclusion into my collection now completes the applicable sulphides for my Cadmium Suite.

Ba5.1/2.01 WitheritePhoto by Dale Minerals International

Cd2.2/2.01 HawleyitePhoto by Dale Minerals International

On a side note, Richard Dale of Dale Minerals International is going out of business. Since the end of September 2012 Dale has been discounting all of his on-line stock with intent to shut down his website sometime in the following December. There’s still some good deals left to be had – we’ll miss you Dale Rocks!

]]>https://elementexpressions.wordpress.com/2012/11/12/abelsonite-scrutinyite-mikasaite-wattersite-mercury-hawleyite-and-witherite/feed/0The SkinnyHg7B2/3.01 Wattersite, Hg.01 MercuryHg.01 MercuryHg7B2/3.01 WattersiteBa5.1/2.01 WitheriteCd2.2/2.01 HawleyitePlatinum Crystals from Russiahttps://elementexpressions.wordpress.com/2012/11/04/platinum-crystals-from-russia-2/
https://elementexpressions.wordpress.com/2012/11/04/platinum-crystals-from-russia-2/#respondSun, 04 Nov 2012 16:38:15 +0000http://elementexpressions.wordpress.com/2012/11/04/platinum-crystals-from-russia-2/Gorgeous! I wish I could take credit for owning this little beauty but alas, no… Sigh, someday I hope to have a Platinum crystal with some nice cubic form..!
]]>https://elementexpressions.wordpress.com/2012/11/04/platinum-crystals-from-russia-2/feed/0The SkinnyStibarsen and Erlichmanitehttps://elementexpressions.wordpress.com/2012/09/21/stibarsen-and-erlichmanite/
https://elementexpressions.wordpress.com/2012/09/21/stibarsen-and-erlichmanite/#respondSat, 22 Sep 2012 00:19:47 +0000http://elementexpressions.wordpress.com/?p=1087Continue reading →]]>Last week I received from Dakota Matrix a specimen each of Stibarsen and Erlichmanite. I had been aware of Stibarsen for some time, it is one of the two applicable Arsenic Antimony alloys. This is a welcome addition to my Arsenic Suite which otherwise contains mostly sulphide variants. This piece exhibits the massive habit of the species rather than those nice botryoidal aggregations I have seen; it hails from The Harz in Germany…

AsB1/2.01 StibarsenPhoto by Dakota Matrix

AsB1/2.01 StibarsenPhoto by Dakota Matrix

I was really surprised to come across the Erlichmanite for sale – I bought it instantly. I never thought I’d ever get a hold of the only sulphide of Osmium, and this specimen is really tiny. In my Osmium Suite there are only two applicable species, Osmium (which is essentially an alloy of Iridium and Osmium) and Erlichmanite which is OsS2, something of the Osmium analogue of Pyrite… This specimen, from Goodnews Bay in Alaska, is a cut and polished section of Platinum containing the Erlichmanite, mounted in a disc of epoxy. The identification has been confirmed through EDS, energy dispersive spectroscopy. Also included with the specimen are several backscatter images from the EDS showing the Erlichmanite in pink/red. With this addition of Erlichmanite my Osmium Suite is now complete, as I had purchased an example of Osmium earlier this year.

Os2.01 ErlichmanitePhoto by Dakota Matrix

Os2.01 ErlichmanitePhoto by Dakota Matrix

Os2.01 Erlichmanite – EDS backscatter imagePhoto by Dakota Matrix

]]>https://elementexpressions.wordpress.com/2012/09/21/stibarsen-and-erlichmanite/feed/0The SkinnyAsB1/2.01 StibarsenAsB1/2.01 StibarsenOs2.01 ErlichmaniteOs2.01 ErlichmaniteOs2.01 Erlichmanite - EDS backscatter imagePhenakite, Fluorapatite, and Smoky Quartzhttps://elementexpressions.wordpress.com/2012/08/20/phenakite-fluorapatite-and-smoky-quartz/
https://elementexpressions.wordpress.com/2012/08/20/phenakite-fluorapatite-and-smoky-quartz/#respondMon, 20 Aug 2012 16:10:29 +0000http://elementexpressions.wordpress.com/?p=1081Continue reading →]]>Last week I received my order of three minerals from John Betts. I placed the order primarily to get my first Phenakite crystal and now I have one of the two applicable species for my Beryllium Suite. The Phenakite specimen exhibits repeated twinning of the re-entrant faces on the termination, known colloquially as “drill-bit” twinning among collectors. The crystal is from Mount Antero in Chaffee County, Colorado.

Be9.01 PhenakitePhoto by John Betts

The other two minerals were ordered as a bit of an afterthought. I didn’t have Fluorapatite represented in my collection, so I figured it was about time to get a decent Calcium Phosphate for my Calcium Suite. This rock hails from Emmons Quarry in Oxford County, Maine.

Ca8.3/4.01 FluorapatitePhoto by John Betts

The last specimen is a floater crystal of Smoky Quartz, my eighth Quartz specimen overall. The examples of this species I acquired earlier in the hobby are damaged, so I’ve been since obtaining perfect specimens. This crystal is absolutely free of damage and doubly-terminated with that nice glassy earthen colour. It’s from the Crystal Peak District in the Park-Teller Counties, Colorado.

Si9.4/7.08 Quartz var. SmokyPhoto by John Betts

]]>https://elementexpressions.wordpress.com/2012/08/20/phenakite-fluorapatite-and-smoky-quartz/feed/0The SkinnyBe9.01 Phenakite Ca8.3/4.01 Fluorapatite Si9.4/7.08 Quartz var. SmokyCadmoselite and Hafnonhttps://elementexpressions.wordpress.com/2012/08/10/cadmoselite-and-hafnon/
https://elementexpressions.wordpress.com/2012/08/10/cadmoselite-and-hafnon/#respondFri, 10 Aug 2012 22:48:23 +0000http://elementexpressions.wordpress.com/?p=1041Continue reading →]]>Yesterday I received two more mineral specimens from Dakota Matrix. They were ordered from the website’s Rare Mineral Specimen section where the more exotic species are periodically listed, in this case from the collection of Donald F. Phillips. The first is Cadmoselite, a welcome addition to my cadmium minerals, it appears as a tiny amount of black metallic powder sealed in a gelatin capsule. This is the only cadmium selenide and I now have one third of all applicable species making up my Cadmium Suite. No doubt it’s extremely toxic, but I only have what looks like about 1/16th of a teaspoon…

The next minuscule mineral is Hafnon, the hafnium analogue to Zircon. According to mindat.org there are only two legitimate mineral species that contain hafnium to any appreciable degree beyond “Hafnian Zircon“: Hafnon, HfSiO4 and Zektzerite, LiNa(Zr,Ti,Hf)Si6O15. The Hafnon appears as a very tiny amount of orangey sand sealed in a stoppered glass vial; its inclusion completes my Hafnium Suite.

Cadmoselite, Hafnon, and my beer

]]>https://elementexpressions.wordpress.com/2012/08/10/cadmoselite-and-hafnon/feed/0The SkinnyCadmoselite, Hafnon, and beerSassolite, another Fluorite, Scheelite, Heazlewoodite, another Laurelite, and Ericaitehttps://elementexpressions.wordpress.com/2012/08/05/sassolite-another-fluorite-scheelite-heazlewoodite-another-laurelite-and-ericaite/
https://elementexpressions.wordpress.com/2012/08/05/sassolite-another-fluorite-scheelite-heazlewoodite-another-laurelite-and-ericaite/#respondSun, 05 Aug 2012 23:05:25 +0000http://elementexpressions.wordpress.com/?p=1023Continue reading →]]>Over the last couple of weeks I received two orders of new additions to my collection. From John Betts‘ website I ordered some Sassolite, my first piece of Scheelite, and another specimen of Fluorite. The Sassolite is something of a rare species, I’ve never seen it posted on his Betts’ site before nor are there any other examples in his “Mineral Museum,” the archive of his sold specimens. I now have one of the three applicable species for my Boron Suite. The specimen consists of several flat glassy crystals resembling ice shavings or flakes of dry skin…

B6.3/3.01 SassolitePhoto by John Betts

As I was already getting the Sassolite I decided to add the Scheelite and Fluroite to my order. Both specimens were inexpensive; I felt it was time to get a calcium tungstate while Fluorite has been rather underrepresented in my collection.

With the addition of Ericaite I now have both of the applicable borates for my Iron Suite. However there seems to be some debate as to whether the formula for Ericaite is Fe3B7O13Cl or (Fe,Mg)3B7O13Cl. The webmineral.com site lists Ericaite with the latter formula, citing about 4.78% magnesium as well as 3.6% manganese. The mindat.org website uses the formula of the former with magnesium and manganese listed as common impurities rather than actual compositional components. The International Mineralogical Association Database of Mineral Properties also describes Ericaite as having the formula Fe3B7O13Cl. If the IMA should change the accepted formula to (Fe,Mg)3B7O13Cl then I would remove Ericaite from my list of 582 applicable species for collecting, as this mineral would be an iron magnesium borate rather than a (“pure”) iron borate. Until then I will welcome both Ericaite and Vonsenite as the two applicable iron borates.

A year ago I jumped at the chance to obtain some Laurelite, even though it consisted of a mass of free fibrous crystals in a gelatin capsule. This time I had the opportunity to acquire an example of this lead halide still attached to the matrix.

Pb3AB2/2.02 LaurelitePhoto by Dakota Matrix

]]>https://elementexpressions.wordpress.com/2012/08/05/sassolite-another-fluorite-scheelite-heazlewoodite-another-laurelite-and-ericaite/feed/0The Skinny B6.3/3.01 SassoliteCa7D.01 ScheeliteCa3A.02 FluoriteNi2.3/4.01 HeazelwooditePb3AB2/2.02 LaureliteThe On-Line Minehttps://elementexpressions.wordpress.com/2012/07/30/on-line-mine/
https://elementexpressions.wordpress.com/2012/07/30/on-line-mine/#respondTue, 31 Jul 2012 00:09:25 +0000http://elementexpressions.wordpress.com/?p=918Continue reading →]]>When I first collected rocks and minerals in the late 1980s there was no internet or on-line ordering. Of course one could mail order specimens, but I never considered that option. I acquired specimens sporadically, either at annual rock & gem shows, or as birthday/holiday gifts, or whenever I happened to be in the vicinity of a speciality shop. When I re-entered the hobby a few years ago I pored over the local rock & gem shops, buying a specimen or two every few weeks. As I began to specialize and move to a more systematic approach to collecting I grew to favour on-line purchasing. While there isn’t the immediacy of buying a specimen in person from a shop, I have found that price and selection is far better when one obtains minerals on-line. Some collectors feel that on-line specimens are typically overpriced or that selection is inadequate. While personally collecting crystals out of the earth might be more satisfying than acquiring a specimen from a website, I maintain that on-line purchasing is much more advantageous than buying in person.

With everyone’s friend the Internet it is ridiculously easy to obtain specimens of all sorts with just a few clicks of a mouse or taps on a mobile device. There are many mineral retail websites out there, but for me there are only about five sites that I follow closely and buy from on a regular basis. When considering purchasing from a on-line dealer one should consider the following website criteria…

A Return Policy

It has been my experience that sales at a rock & gem shows or at speciality shops are usually final, although it may be possible to return a specimen for some reason and usually only at the dealer’s discretion. Naturally it behooves any collector to personally examine a prospective purchase, so buyer beware..! I expect that some stores that sell crystals for metaphysical purposes may accept returns, if the buyer bought a crystal on some trial basis to see if its “aura” or “vibration” was just right, perhaps. (I don’t mean to be dismissive of the metaphysics associated with crystals, or the so-called “New Age” sort of thing. While I am mostly an empirical rationalist, I must concede one should always be open to theories/ideas that may be based on criteria outside of our realm of experience. I plan on writing a post specifically about my thoughts on crystals and metaphysics…)

As for mineral websites it’s usually the case that any reputable dealer will have a sound policy in place for the return of purchased merchandise should it be necessary. It’s just good business, especially as it is usually not possible for the buyer to personally inspect the specimen(s) before purchase. The return policy should be explained somewhere on the site, such as under the FAQ, for example. In the case of a specimen being returned due to damage incurred in transit the dealer should cover the cost of return shipping. I have noticed that some on-line dealers will allow the return of a specimen for any reason, perhaps because the buyer didn’t like the colour in person, wrong size, or whatever. Customers can certainly be fickle, but in the case of a return due to some aesthetic reason then the customer should pay for the return shipping. There may also be a restocking fee. Being in Canada and ordering from mostly US dealers, I would really only return a mineral that had been damaged… I’ve ordered many minerals on-line and so far I have only had one specimen arrive damaged, a large cluster of Romanian Stibnite. The seller was most accommodating, but due process had to be followed. I had to photograph the damage (a single 2 cm crystal that had snapped off) and send the pictures to the dealer. A claim was made through to the US postal service, with the dealer corroborating my report and photographic evidence. Two months later I was compensated from USP the total cost of the specimen plus its shipping, and I did not have to return the specimen to the seller.

Selection

Obviously good selection is a plus, whether one specializes only in tourmalines and beryls, or only minerals from a specific locality, or of a certain colour, or whatever else it is that floats a collector’s boat. Most websites often feature the “classic hits” from the mineralogical world, those “textbook examples” from classic localities: Smithsonite from the Kelly Mine in New Mexico, Cinnabar from Tongren in China, Vanadinite from Mibladen in Morocco, and so on. As collectors we become familiar with these classics and gain some basis for comparison between sellers and their material. It can be difficult to develop this sense of familiarity with species that are considered very rare. Specimens of this type may seldom be available unless the dealer specializes in scarce minerals, such as catering to systematic collectors. Aside from varieties of species or localities, selection also applies to specimen aesthetics, condition, and price. Does the dealer carry a range of specimens with well defined crystals that are “textbook examples” of the species? Are there several representatives of a given species that demonstrate a range of habit, lustre, or colour? Is damage present? Is there a range of prices for several examples of the same kind of specimens? A dealer may typically have a number of specimens of the same species and locality with a sliding scale of cost; the larger or sharper the crystal(s) then the higher the price, as a general rule. This allows a buyer to obtain a representative of that species from that locality to fit her or his budget accordingly.

Selection can be quite excellent at rock & gem shows such as the very famous Tuscon Gem and Mineral Show that features about 250 dealers annually. As most shows are presented once a year that leaves a rather small window to experience this kind of variety unless one is travelling on a show circuit. Many websites are extensions of dealers’ shops; one can still visit their stores in person and peruse their selection as advertised. But shopping in person at even a well stocked shop remains something of a singular experience, while the internet readily affords one the opportunity to browse a number of dealers for greater selection and compare prices.

Price

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if mineral collectors could be obtain specimens for free, like some kind of government service such as health care? To be sure, we collectors prefer to pay as little as possible for a rock that piques our interest, or at the very least we savour the feeling that we “got a deal.” Whether the purchase is in person or on-line, dealers’ prices tend to be rather subjective. I find that comparative shopping between several other websites for the same sort of specimen is a good way to gauge whether a price is reasonable or not. At times I have seen a wide disparity in price between dealers for the same kind of specimens from the same find. Some dealers’ prices are higher because they bought their material at a correspondingly high wholesale price. Other dealers feel they can charge what they want based on their own subjective ideas of aesthetics or quality: what they feel a given specimen should be worth. The general rule is that the dealer will likely charge whatever the dealer believes she or he can get, hopefully with an eye to competitive pricing with other dealers. Then there are dealers out there who only sell specimens of a certain price range, say from $500.00 or $1000.00 USD and up. Apparently all pieces being sold at Wilensky Minerals start at $25000.00 USD and go up from there.

Damage Free

I am strongly of the opinion that collectors should only purchase specimens that are free of damage. I’m sure most dealers would prefer to sell undamaged specimens as well, but that would be unrealistic. Among collectors there is often a range of tolerances as to what might be acceptable levels of damage: some don’t really care, others don’t mind some chipping, and so on. I favour websites where the dealer is able to remark on the condition of a specimen in its general description. John Betts is wonderful at this, almost every specimen posted on his site is described in detail including comments about condition. “No damage” are among my favourite words, but remarks of this kind really only apply to specimens that exhibit well defined crystals. Granular, powdery, or massive specimens tend to be exempt from this level of scrutiny, unless one drags out the electron microscope… In any case I always prefer a dealer who is forthcoming about specimen condition, even if I have to email him or her specifically to inquire about it.

Organization & Website Design

It’s always nice to visit a mineral dealer’s website (or any site for that matter) that is really nicely designed with a unique visual style and really sharp photos. One can often get a sense of the dealer’s sense of aesthetics just by looking at how much work and thought went into their website. Is it easy to find the kind specimens you’re looking for? Are the specimens posted with details other than price, such as locality, dimensions, and history? Is it easy purchase a specimen through the site? What are the payment options? Some dealers organize their specimens geographically, with advertised minerals listed only by country. I find it’s easier when minerals are listed alphabetically by species. Regardless of how a dealer’s website is designed it should really have a good interface and be easy to navigate through. Ideally every specimen should represented with detailed descriptions (including locality, chemical formula, dimensions, history, and condition) and accompanied with really good photos from several angles. Some websites, like Excalibur Minerals or Shannon & Sons Minerals, don’t really post photos of their specimens for sale. (I can excuse this as these sites in particular boast thousands of specimens and appear to cater to systematic collectors or collectors of otherwise extremely rare species. Many of these unusual species are not necessarily “photogenic” but may instead appear as a powdery substance in a vial or some some insignificant-looking crust resembling dried snot on a rock…) The photos at John Betts’ site or at Marin Minerals are gorgeous, and there are a number of other sites where the dealers exercise a great deal of care and skill in photographing their specimens for sale. The dealer at Mineral Movies takes many pictures in sequence so as to create an animated 360 degree rotation of each specimen. Another consideration is how often the websites are updated with new specimens. Every Tuesday morning at about 11:30 EST John Betts posts a new update of about 60 to 100 or so new mineral specimens for sale; and every Tuesday morning I am right there on-line at his site, poised to buy anything that strikes my fancy the second the update goes through. Dakota Matrix usually puts through an update every Thursday as well as “The Daily 5” which are five new mineral specimens posted at some unannounced time during weekdays. It should also be easy to find the new additions on a dealer’s site. I’ve visited some sites where new a new update is mentioned, only to be frustrated by not being able to easily find the newly listed specimens.

I feel I should also mention something about mineral auctions. I’ve never liked auction sites such as e-Bay et al. I like being able to buy something outright without having to enter into some bidding war which really only benefits the seller. Prices at auctions are always determined by the buyers; some sellers may be thoroughly unscrupulous or just ignorant, while the photos and descriptions posted on-line are often inaccurate. All too often buyers come away with hard-won specimens that were inadequately described on-line and grossly overpaid for. It just seems underhanded to me. While there may be some deals to be had out there, either on some dealer’s auction site or even e-Bay, I think it’s easier to just buy from a reliable seller outright.

While I still can’t resist going into a rock & gem shop or exhibition I remain a steadfast connoisseur of mineral specimens acquired on-line. To me the selection found on the internet is unparalleled and I can do comparative shopping with ease. The only thing I don’t like about on-line purchasing is waiting for the package to arrive. Getting minerals in the mail from over the border into Canada usually takes about at least two weeks to arrive, while orders from Canadian dealers may only take three days. At any rate it can never be too soon for my treasures to arrive.